Yellow Line Extension

About the Project: Alternatives

Several alternatives, which included alternative routes and alternatives to rail transit, were considered during the Alternatives Analysis process. The alternatives were then narrowed through public and agency feedback to the three alternatives described below. The Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) includes 1.6 new route miles of rapid transit from the existing Yellow Line, reconfiguration of the existing Dempster Station and one additional station at Old Orchard Road with new bus access and parking facilities.

Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)

The proposed LPA would extend the heavy rail transit line from Dempster Station north along the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) right-of-way from Dempster Street to the vicinity of Old Orchard Road.

Summary:

The Locally Preferred Alternative would proceed northbound on a single track alignment within the UPRR right-of-way from Dempster Street to the area north of Golf Road. Beginning north of Golf Road, the alignment curves east, paralleling the east side of the Edens Expressway on an elevated profile to the proposed terminal location on the south side of Old Orchard Road. The elevated profile avoids grade crossings between Dempster Street and Old Orchard Road.

The Locally Preferred Alternative would include the following features:

Transportation improvements that are already in the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Fiscal Year 2007-2012 Transportation Improvement Program as described in the No Build Alternative below

Heavy rail transit line extension from Dempster Station to Old Orchard Road

1.6 miles long with no intermediate stops

2 new stations:

The Dempster Station would be completely rebuilt to accommodate longer length trains and support bi-directional ridership demands. The elevated alignment would place the new station centered above Dempster Street providing enhanced station accessibility from the north and south parking areas without requiring pedestrians to cross Dempster Street. Bus transfer, taxi, entrance and parking areas at the Dempster Station would be reconfigured for the new elevated station.

The terminal station would be located east of the expressway and in the northwest portion of the Niles North High School (NNHS) property. Parking spaces displaced by the project would be replaced by a multi-story parking structure with dedicated school parking and dedicated commuter parking.

CTA and Pace bus services would be re-routed to pass through an off-street facility on the east side of the rapid transit station and continue to the existing bus transfer station at Old Orchard Mall

No Build Alternative

The No Build Alternative is defined as the existing transportation system, plus any committed transportation improvements that are already in the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Fiscal Year 2007-2012 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Intersection improvements at Dempster Street, Golf Road and Old Orchard Road along Skokie Boulevard are included in the TIP, as well as road widening improvements of Old Orchard Road from Harms Road to Skokie Boulevard and the expansion of the northbound Edens off-ramp lanes. In addition to a variety of resurfacing projects, Dempster Street is scheduled to be reconstructed and widened to Central Road. All elements of the No Build Alternative are included in each of the other alternatives.

The Transportation System Management Alternative would operate in mixed traffic with traffic signal priority on the Dempster Street, Niles Center Road, Skokie Boulevard and Golf Road portion of the route.

The Transportation System Management Alternative would include the following features:

Transportation improvements that are already in the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Fiscal Year 2007-2012 Transportation Improvement Program as described in the No Build Alternative

BRT that operates between the Yellow Line Dempster Street Station and Westfield Shoppingtown Old Orchard Mall